My Pet World: Adoption saves lives, and so does keeping pets with their families

Dear Cathy, One of your readers wrote to you about having trouble with an aggressive male toy poodle after many years with a King Charles spaniel. To me, this sounds like another case of people buying expensive “designer” dogs. In the foster/rescue world, we have strong feelings about the purchase of pricey purebreds, especially since poor breeding and inbreeding can lead to behavior and health issues, even in the most expensive dogs.

My wife and I have fostered homeless beagles for 22 years and have never seen serious aggression, even in dogs that were neglected or mistreated. It would be nice if you occasionally reminded readers that buying designer dogs contributes to shelter overcrowding and euthanasia. “Adopt, don’t shop” is the message we preach. Why not emphasize it a little more often?

— Bob, Greensboro, North Carolina

Dear Bob, Adoption has been at the heart of my work for 35 years in animal welfare. Every day, wonderful dogs of every size, age, and temperament, including many purebreds, end up in shelters through no fault of their own.

At the same time, I also meet people who have their hearts set on a particular breed because of family history, lifestyle needs, or simple familiarity, just as you and your wife developed a deep bond with beagles. When that happens, I still encourage them to visit animal shelters (which receive purebreds regularly) and breed-specific rescue groups.

“Designer dogs” are simply “intentionally breed” dogs, and like any dog, the quality of their breeding varies greatly. If someone ultimately wants a purebred puppy, I try to help them understand what a responsible breeder looks like. Ethical breeders screen for hereditary diseases, prioritize health and temperament, and raise puppies in their homes and around people, so they’re well socialized.

This is very different from backyard breeders and high-volume breeders (puppy mills), who breed for profit while overlooking essential health care and early socialization needs.

Any dog can develop fear, reactivity, or aggression, especially if they weren’t properly socialized or had difficult early experiences. While I strongly advocate for adoption, my primary goal is to help people build safer, more successful relationships with their pets, so they stay in their homes and out of shelters. I always do a little happy dance when adoption is someone’s first choice, but in the grand scheme of things, a pet’s origins don’t matter when I’m helping a family. My focus is simply on keeping pets with the people who love them, so they never need to be adopted.

Dear Cathy, I have had several rescue cats over the years, so I often don’t know much about their history. I have never let them sleep with me. I found a cheap, effective way to keep them from howling or scratching at the door to get in. Knowing that cats hate to be surprised, I put a couple of soft objects, such as Beanie Babies, on my nightstand. When they scratched at the door, I silently heaved the object at the door.

The cat finds someplace else to be after a night or two. If that were not to work, the other trick (which I have not had to employ) is to put out some old-fashioned mousetraps upside down. When bumped, they snap and go up in the air. The cats do not like it, and they don't come back at night. And they don't really associate it with you because you are still in bed.

— Kay, Urbana, Illinois

Dear Kay, It’s too bad you don’t sleep with your cats. They can be wonderful snugglers. But I appreciate that you’ve found a nighttime routine that works for you. Your soft-object method can be a harmless way to interrupt the behavior. Many cat owners rely on small surprises to deter counter-surfing or door scratching. The upside-down mousetrap trick is a method some cat owners use, but because it pops up suddenly, it can be stressful for more sensitive or previously anxious rescue cats. The same is true for tossing a soft object, not harmful, but still a startle.

Because every cat reacts differently, I usually guide readers toward gentler redirection: a short play session before bed, a cozy perch outside the bedroom, a treat puzzle to keep them occupied, or placing double-sided tape on the door to make scratching less appealing.

Every cat truly is an individual. Whatever method we choose, the key is watching our cats closely to be sure we’re helping and not stressing them. What works beautifully for one may overwhelm another. Part of living with cats is learning to read those subtle clues.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)